1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for managing data access right in a data-independent computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional computer systems, general-purpose operating systems (hereinafter abbreviated to OSs) are executed on general-purpose hardware, and support as many software applications as possible, in order to efficiently use expensive hardware resources.
Since this general use results in redundancy, the size of the OSs and their overheads increase as computer technology develops. It has become more common that one general-purpose machine executes a number of software applications in parallel. As a result, the configuration of such a machine has become expanded and complicated, and consequently the performance and reliability of the entire computer system have deteriorated. Nowadays, though the Cost performance of computer hardware has significantly been improved, the disadvantages of the general use of computer systems have been greater than the advantages thereof.
In addition, the configuration and execution status of conventional computer systems are different from the organization and methods for processing jobs in companies. Accordingly, for example, experts in certain business fields cannot easily computerize their business transactions in those fields. This is firstly because methods for configuring conventional computer systems are not intended for end users. Secondly, developers of the computer systems, who do not fully understand such business transactions, configure the computer systems instead of the experts, who are familiar with their business fields, but who are unfamiliar with computer systems.
Particularly, in recent years, the networking of computer systems has been developed to flexibly cope with the various business transactions performed in companies, etc. To connect a new computer to a network, it is required for an expert who has special knowledge of computer systems to set complex parameters. A person who is familiar with handling the business transactions, but not so familiar with computer systems, cannot easily build the network. Currently, the company is forced to depend on the computer developers.
An object of this invention is to implement a computer system, which has a simple configuration with high reliability and performance, for easily building a network that corresponding to human business transactions and procedures.
Another object of this invention is to provide a computer system for improving security by managing user access rights for accessing a processing machine and a data machine in a network that connects the processing machine, the data machine, and a man-machine interface machine.
A feature of the present invention resides in a data access right management apparatus in a data-independent computer system comprising, at least one of a processing machine for receiving an electronic message including a request of a transaction process from a network, transmitting an electronic message including results of the transaction process to the network, transmitting an electronic message including a request of data accesses to the network, receiving an electronic message including results of the data accesses from the network, and executing transaction processes corresponding to transmitted/received electronic messages; a data machine for receiving the electronic message including the request of the data accesses, transmitting the electronic message including the results of the data accesses to the network, and accessing stored data corresponding to the transmitted/received electronic messages; and a man-machine interface machine for transmitting the electronic message including the request of the transaction process, receiving the electronic message including the results of the process from the network, and performing man-machine interface processes corresponding to the transmitted/received electronic messages; and a first network manager for managing access rights of respective users for accessing the processing machine and the data machine through the network, where the processing machine, the data machine or the man-machine interface machine are connected to the network.